An advanced Internet XML/EDI model based on secure XML documents

In this paper, we propose an advanced Internet XML/EDI model that allows an Application Service Provider (ASP) to provide purchasing application services over the Internet. The model allows trading partners (buyers and suppliers) to securely exchange XML-based business documents over the Internet via the ASP, instead of traditional Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)-based messages via value-added networks (VANs). It eliminates the costs of implementing EDI-related applications and the costs of communication. It also simplifies business automation at the ASP site and backend system integration at buyers' and suppliers' sites. In the model, XML security technologies such as XML digital signatures and XML element-wise encryption are also employed to achieve secure business transactions with trading partners. The security of transactions is ensured not by the systems but by the documents themselves. The proposed model significantly reduces the disadvantages of traditional VAN-EDI and Web-based Internet EDI, and accelerates the spread of electronic exchange of business documents among trading partners.